Alaskan Klee Kai Breed Description

Alaskan Klee Kai Description, Straight from the Dog's Mouth
My owner named me Kia, kind of a play on my breed's name. As a breed, I'm relatively new. I was crossbred from the Alaskan Malamute, Siberian Husky, and the Schipperke. The purpose of this crossbreeding was to create an apartment-sized dog with an appearance reflecting our northern heritage--voila--me! Personally, I think I'm stunning to look at - just look at this face! Have you ever seen such striking looks?

Throughout my relatively short history, I've most commonly been kept as a companion because we're loyal, loving and affectionate. Although I'll have you know that because of our suspicion of strangers, we also make remarkable watch and guard dogs.

You'll find us lively and outgoing by nature, chockful of character. Needless to say, we are highly intelligent, but we can be stubborn and independent, which means you'll need to establish immediate dominance. Trust, and respect is key to successfully training our breed, and as the leader of the pack, we require you to be strong and confident, with the patience to help us learn in a positive way.

Like all dogs of the north, we enjoy spending time outdoors. The good news is that we flourish in all types of climates: the bad news is that we shed. We probably bark as much as any other dog (remember our suspicion of strangers), and we require (demand) daily exercise. Without it, we can become high strung.

In an appropriate home, an Alaskan Klee Kai can be a wonderful companion. Be sure to socialize us well while we're young. When trained and handled skillfully, we are docile and very loving. We need our humans around us to be calm, firm, confident and consistent pack leaders.

Introduction

The Alaskan Klee Kai is a small version of the Alaskan Husky with a wedge-shaped head featuring a striking masked face, prick ears, and a double coat. For the Klee Kai, the length of back is just slightly longer than the height. The Alaskan Klee Kai tail is well-furred and curls over the back or to either side when the dog is alert or moving. The appearance of the Alaskan Klee Kai reflects the breed's Northern heritage.

History

An accidental mating between a Siberian Husky and a small dog in the 1970s got Alaskan breeder Linda Spurlin thinking. She developed the Alaskan Klee Kair by crossing Siberian and Alaskan Huskies with the far smaller Schipperke and American Eskimo Dogs, which resulted in small dogs with the Siberian traits without relying on dwarfism to achieve the smaller size. While the breed has been recognized by several associations, the AKC has not yet done so.

Description

Whatever their size category, Alaskan Klee Kais come in black, gray or red and white. Any of those colors can appear strong or diffused depending on the amount of shading of the white. Eyes are blue or gold or partied. Markings follow those of Huskies and can include masks.

Temperament

Energetic and curious, Alaska Klee Kai are a large natured dog in a small package. They are eager to please their owners and enjoy the applause that their antics produce. Alaskan Klee Kai do maintain the hunting psyche of the larger Siberians and should be kept away from small animals as they will naturally see them as prey. Owners report they are quick learners; while that is an advantage when it comes to obedience and house training, it can be a disadvantage when it comes to them figuring out how to open pantry doors!

Health and Care

Like other Siberian breeds, Klee Kai have no doggy odor and are generally sweet-breathed. Double coated thanks to their ancestors, they lose their coat twice each year and shed both at those times. They are self-grooming and require little more than an occasional brush through their tail to remove any accumulated dirt. Bathe only when necessary.

Colors

There are a variety of coat colors with shades of gray and white, black and white and even the very rare red and white.

Living Area

Suitable for apartments, motor home travel, trailer homes, acreages and other living situations where they have room to play, worship the sun and get into the shade. It is best to make sure their playtime is supervised.

Recognized By

CKC, UKC, NKC, APRI, ACR

Pets4You offers listings of Alaskan Klee Kai breeders with puppies for sale.